Electrical switch.



B. D. HORTON & W. Pn HAMMOND.

ELECTMCAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION men MAR. 24. 1914.

1,187,91 1 Patented June 20,1916.

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' tacts is not dependent upon un'rrnn s'rarns PATENT OFFICE.

BRYSON 3). HOR'I'ON,UF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND WILLIAM P. HAMMOND, 0F PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY; SAID HAMMOND ASSIGNOR TO SAID HORTON.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed March 24, 1914. Serial No. 826,843.. H E I Q I l i to U m To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Bnrson D. HORTON and 'WILLIAM P. HAMMOND, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and and at Passaic, in State of New Jersey, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches; of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description thereon such as would enable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same, reference bein had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, which form a part hereon Our invention particularlyrelates ta certain improvements in that type electrical switches commonly referred to protected or armor-clad. In switches of this type, the operable parts of the switchmechanism are housed within a metal casing, the stationary contacts usually being mounted upon the "base oi the casing, while the parts carrying the movable contacts are reciprocably mounted therein and operated by an exterior crank journaled in the side of the casing. The moving parts of the switch mechanism, in these prior art switches are operated independently of any opening movement imparted to the cover of the receptacle, that is to say, the throwingoff of the knife conthe Opening of the cover but requires manipulation independent thereof.

One oi": the ObJQCIZS of our present invention is to --provide means whereby the movement' of the movably mounted knife contacts of theswitch may be incident upon the opening of the cover of the receptacle so as to assure the breaking of the electrical circuit when access is being had to the interior of the receptacle. In this way we eliminate the possibility of exposing the live metal parts to the hand of the operator through carelessness or thoughtlessne'ss on his part when manipulating the switch and thereby minimize life hazard.

Another object of our invention is to provide means whereby the closing of the switch mechanism may be incident upon the closing of the cover of the receptacle.

A still further object of the invention is to pi'ovide means whereby the operablc c0nnection between the cover and the movable State of Michigan,v the county of Passaic and i be interrupted or reswitch mechanism may for the independent leased so as to provide opening of the cover while the switch mech- In the accompanying drawings we have-- illustrated by way of example, a suitable embodiment of our invention in which-.

Figure 1 illustrates in vertical cross-sec tion an armor clad switch, partly in section the switch contacts being in their on position and the cover carrying actuating latch mechanism in its normal cooperative position. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail of the same mechanism showing the cover carrying' latch mechanism after it has been 0perated to release the cover from mechanism, the cover being partly opened and in position to be fully ently of operating Fig, 3 is a top plan view partly broken away, showing in longitudinal section the cover carrying latch mechanism in the position shown'in Fig. 1.

In detail, 1 indicates the provided with a cover 2; the latter being hinged at ,3. The casing and cover are rovided with a convenient securing means 4. At the'point where the securing means 4 islocated, the cover'is provided with a handle 5, by meanscf which a good purchase may behad by the hand of the operator, when it is desired to throw the switch ofi simultaneously with opening the cover. This handle 5 for compactness and convenience may be pivotally mounted so that it may be folded downwardly as shown.

The switch mechanism may consist of a pair of suitable stationary jaw contacts 6 mounted upon a base of insulating'niaterial 7, which in turn are mounted rigid; upon the bottom of the casing 1. Cooperating with these jaw. contacts are a pair of knife blade contacts 8, connected 9, and-mounted to reciprocate as the switch is thrown on or Oil. To provide for the SW itch opened independthe switch mechanism.

by a cross-head casing, which is their opposite ends, with'limitin'g. stops 13. As'it is desirable to effect a quickmake and] break between the contacts, we provide an accelerating mechanism 14,.which need'notbe particularly described other than. to say; that the spring energy of the springs is ex- 1 pended to move the movable contacts rapidly as they approach or leave the stationary contacts No specific claim is made herein for this accelerating feature. In

I order to operate the switch a rock shaft 15 is journaled'inthe sideof the casingl and has connected thereto exterior of the cas ing' a suitable operating f crank 16. The roc ,shaft is. provided with a pair of arms 17 :fivhich have operable connection with the cross-head 9. This connection is a yieldcontacts. This need not be particularl described either as it forms no part 0 the present invention.

We will now proceed to describe the mechanism by which the cover and switch mechanism are cooperatively associated.

.the cover of the receptacle closed, the foot 21 is beneath the pin-22, so that as the cover is raised, the trigger 20 causes the switch. arm 17 to inaugurate its circuit breaking movement. The cooperative engagement be.

neath the foot 21 and pin 22 continues until,

the accelerating springs 14.- and their associated connecting devices pass their longitudinal or dead center position, whereupon the 9 arm 17 is given a very rapid movement.

When this occurs, the pin 22.passes from the path of movement of the foot 21 owin to the different arcs which these two mem ers transcribe in their movements, thus'clearing or freeing themselves from each other. The throwing ofi of the switch mechanism is accomplished simultaneously with the opening of the cover of the receptacle, so that there is no possibility of an ignorant laborer or un thinking person coming in contact with the live metal parts of the switch.

In order to provide for the closing of the switch and make this closing movement incident i1 on the closing of the cover of the receptac e, a foot or projection 23 is proceptacle cover 2. I plunger has a pivoted connection with the vided. This may, if desired, be formed in tegral with the depending member 18. This foot 23 cooperates with the pin or projec tion 24, the latterbeing the connecting pivot. point of the arm 17 with the accelerating mechanism heretofore mentioned. It is ob- I vious from the indicated arcs or paths of relative movements of the foot 23 and pin or projection 24, in the operation of the device, that the foot 23 as it descends when the cover is closing will engage the projection 24, (when in the dotted line position a) and will cause arm 1.7 to descend. The engagement of the foot 23 and projection 24 continues until the springs of the accelerating mechanism 14, move pass their dead center line or longitudinal position. When this occurs, the movement of the arm 17 continues under the power of the expanding springs.

This movement being rapid carries the projection 24 away from the descending foot 20 moves in transcribing its are into the osition shown in Fig. 1 beneath the pro ec- 1 tion 22.

When the switch mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the cover closed, the same may be freely operated to make or break connection between the contacts b I operating the crank 16. The foot 23, it wi l 23. During this closing movement, the foot inglcohnection indicated at 18 and one whichserves to further accelerate'the makeand break movement between the switch cover of the receptacle without throwing the switch mechanism ofi", we provide means of doing so. This means may comprise a plunger 25 reciprocally mounted in the re- The lower end, of this projection 26 formed as an integral part of the trig er 20. I i I 27in icates a knob or hand piece upon the end of the rod 25 and interposed between this knob and the top of the casing is a spiral compression spring '28 which be with tension on these parts, tending-notmally to hold the pivoted trigger 20 in as indicated position in Fig. 1. It is apparent that upon a depression of the rod 25, the trigger 20 is caused to oscillate u on its pivot 19. During this oscillation t e foot 21 is caused to move free of the projection 22 so that the lid of the cover may be pin 22 and snaps into its normal position.

shown in Fig. 1.

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Having thus described our invention what we claim as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. in combination with a housing provided with a hinged cover, a switch inechanism therein including movable and stationary cooperating, contacts, means for freely operating the switch vmechanism to make or break the circuit without opening the receptacle and switch actuating devices "ali'ied by the cover normally engaging the *itch mechanism whereby the switch mechanism thrown to its off? position during the opening movement of the cover and means for releasing said switch actuating devices from said switch mechanism to permit the opening of the cover without inanipnlating the switch mechanisn'i.v

A switch mechanism including a metallic housing provided with a hinged cover, a switch mechanism therein, comprising stationary and moi able cooperating contacts, a cross-head connecting said movable mint-acts, a rock ann connected with said cross-l'iead, a latch mechanism carried by the cover cooperating with said cross-head whereby the switch mechanism may be operated to make or break connection with out opening the cover and whereby said switch lnfiClluIliSll'i may be automatically pemted to make or break the circuit when fillQ- COVQF is opened or closed as the case might be.

In cimhination witl a receptacle provided witha hinged cover, a switch mechanism, including stationary and movable contacts housed therein means for actuating the switch mechanism to make or break the circuit, said means being normally intlependent of the cover, means carried by the cover cooperating with the movable contacts, said means functioning to make or break". the circuitduring the opening or closing operation of the cover, and means for rendering said operating means carriell by the cover inoperative.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BRYSON D. liiORTON. VVEl'MiIAh l P. HAMMOND.

Witnesses for Bi'yson D. Horton:

Hana; S. FREEMAN, IGNATIIUS W. iZAHN. Witnesses for William P. Hannnond:

WEI. C. DUNN, LILLIAN L. MALZER. 

